The Supreme Court’s order for the former chief ministers in Uttar Pradesh to vacate their government accommodations has become a cause of concern for Samajwadi Party leaders Akhilesh Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav. As per reports, SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav has written to the State Estate Department, asking them to give him two years to vacate the official residence and make alternative arrangements. 

Yadav has reportedly written in the letter that he did not own a private residence in the state capital Lucknow, and there was no “suitable alternative accommodation” in the city as of now. He also added that as former chief minister of the state, he was authorised to have Z+ security. In view of his security detail, arrangement for the stay of commandos needed to be made as well, reports said. 

Reports also suggested that prior to Akhilesh writing the letter to the Estate Department, his father and former UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav had also met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and had shared his ‘formula’ to ensure his continued stay in the official bungalow. Akhilesh and his father Mulayam occupy official residences in the posh locality of Vikramaditya Marg in Lucknow. 

Notably, Bahujan Samaj Party chief and former CM Mayawati has converted her official residence at 13A, Mall Avenue to a ‘memorial’  for late party leader Kanshiram, in what is suspected to be a move to ‘outmanoeuvre’  the Supreme Court and extend her stay at the government accommodation. However, her own house at 9A Mall Avenue is undergoing last-minute renovations, giving rise to speculations that she may be shifting to her personal residence soon. 

The Supreme Court had earlier this month directed all former CMs of the state to vacate their government bungalows. The top court order had come after a PIL was filed by BGO Lok Prahari following the UP Assembly’s decision to pass an amendment to allow all former chief ministers of the state to stay in government bungalows for lifetime. 

Following this, the Estate Department had issued notices to six former chief ministers, namely Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh, Mayawati, Rajnath Singh and Akhilesh Yadav – notifying them to vacate their official residences.